Looking for the original Bar Towel blog? You can find it at www.thebartowel.com.

We have a trivia question in order to register to prevent bots. If you have any issues with answering, contact us at cass@bartowel.com for help.

Introducing Light Mode! If you would like a Bar Towel social experience that isn't the traditional blue, you can now select Light Mode. Go to the User Control Panel and then Board Preferences, and select "Day Drinking" (Light Mode) from the My Board Style drop-down menu. You can always switch back to "Night Drinking" (Dark Mode). Enjoy!

Jester on Yonge (at St Clair)

Discuss Ontario's brewpubs, pubs, beer bars and restaurants here.

Moderators: Craig, Cass

Post Reply
User avatar
Cass
Beer Superstar
Posts: 3828
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Toronto
Contact:

Jester on Yonge (at St Clair)

Post by Cass »

This is a bar I've passed a million times but I do not believe I've ever gone in, until yesterday. I believe it was, up until recently, a classic nondescript Toronto pub.

However, I noticed via social media that they had started to turn over their beer lineup to more of a crafty focus. And turnover they have. 32 taps available, and a wide range of all kinds of things, including: Collective Arts R&R and St. of C, Amsterdam Radler, Cruiser & Boneshaker, Beau's, Junction Engineers, Black Oak Nut B, GLB Pompus, Side Launch Wheat, DT Prison Break, Oast Barn, MS Tank, 100th, Cobble, Cameron's Cream, St. A Apricot, Lake of Bays Spark, Big Rig Gold, Monkeys Hoptical, Naughty Neighbour + more.

It still very much feels like your average pub - wooden accents, ballgame on TVs, etc., but credit where credit it due: most of these kinds of places don't have this extensive of a beer list. I can think of many mass-appeal pubs where the beer selections remain in the dark ages. Kudos to Jester for taking the leap into good beer - a place I never went before is now a place I would.

Side note: very unique layout of the space. It's incredibly narrow, but also incredibly long - it's probably at least twice as deep as regular bar spaces. Just when you think the bar should end it just keeps going and going. It's like a bowling alley of a bar. Not something you see much in Toronto.

User avatar
lister
Beer Superstar
Posts: 2071
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2005 2:33 pm
Location: Toronto

Post by lister »

Way back when I was living near Yonge & Eglinton we went to Jester once and it was exactly as you said, classic nondescript Toronto pub. Nice to know of the change. If I'm ever up that way again I'll probably stop in.

Nice to see places like Loose Moose and now Jester jumping on the bandwagon. Hopefully more follow suit. I'm particularly looking at you Freakin' Firkin chain where I occasionally find myself sometimes.
lister

G.M. Gillman
Seasoned Drinker
Posts: 1486
Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:24 pm

Post by G.M. Gillman »

Good news Cass. I've been in there a few times over the last 25 years - it has been there at least since 1988. It's been through at least four periods, the English-type beer bar with domestic beers and a few Britannic and Euro imports; then, the latter plus a couple or so better-known local craft beers; then all the latter plus a few exotic Euro draft imports (e.g. Delerium Tremens); and now finally this current phase you mention. Biermarkt too for a while seemed enamoured of the imported Euro beers with exotic names but lately have added to that with a good local craft range. Loose Moose is kind of similar.

It's interesting how when many in Toronto in the bar trade finally cottoned to beer as a worthy focus, they thought first of imported draft. For years I would have discussions with well-intentioned people who were convinced a draft beer imported from 5000 miles away and likely pasteurized was superior to beer made by small upstart outfits in Ontario. The great pioneers apart (Volo, C'est What, Bar Hop and its predecessor on John Street, Granite, etc.), a good part of the beer pub scene was fixated on this market but the ship has finally turned I think. Handmade local craft beer is essential to understanding what fine beer is all about. It's counterintuitive for some until the penny finally drops.

Imports are always good to have though, and a new factor in the import scene is the U.S. beers like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Stone IPA and Arrogant Bastard which I'd doubt are pasteurized and arrived here recently in excellent condition - in other words more the counterparts of the local craft beers. All to the good.

Gary
Gary Gillman

jesteronyonge
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue May 19, 2015 12:56 pm

Post by jesteronyonge »

Thanks for dropping by, glad you enjoyed your pint and hope to see you again soon. We are working hard to build a program of events that will make our place a great spot for our customers to enjoy craft beer! Cheers!

Post Reply